


Naked

by captaincastle



Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, F/M, First Time, Shower Sex, Slow Build, accidental invasion of privacy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-23 02:21:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14322441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captaincastle/pseuds/captaincastle
Summary: The two times Frank and Karen saw each other naked on accident, and the first time it was on purpose.





	Naked

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by a tumblr post: imagine your icon, stark naked, getting walked in on by their crush

Karen’s seen Frank in all kinds of compromising positions. Bloody, bruised, beaten. She’s bought more bathmats than she can count; Frank’s covered them all in blood when he’s showered. She’s seen him unconscious, she’s even seen him throw up. But she’s never seen him naked.

Not once, in the months he’s stayed with her. But why would she? There’s been no reason for it. Frank has his own place, but he comes to Karen’s once in a while to check on her. At least that’s what he says. Karen knows better. He comes because he’s lonely, and she makes him feel less lonely. She knows he enjoys her company. It’s a judgement free zone, though she does scold him on occasion for being reckless.

She’ll cook for him sometimes, and make him coffee. She also helps give him information. Though she’s never quit sure when she’ll see him. It’s not foreign for her to wake up to the smell off coffee in her kitchen, or hear the shower running at 3 am.

What their relationship is, she doesn’t know. But him coming over is his way of letting her know that he’s ok.

When he showers, she obviously leaves him to his privacy. Though the more the months pass the more her mind begins to wander. She’s curious - and only a door and a thin floral shower curtain is between her questions.

But that would be invasive.

Her question is answered though one evening. She’s gone out to get some dinner for them while he patches himself up.

On her way home, Karen thinks about why she doesn’t just ask Frank to stay. Permanently.

Though she can guess his answer.

If he stays he’ll put her in danger, and he doesn’t want her to deal with guns and ammo all around the place.

She hasn’t even told Frank she has feelings for him. There has to be something there, she thinks. He’s made it pretty clear he’d do anything to keep her safe. But is there more he’d do for her? Is it wrong of her to want those things?

All these thoughts go through her mind while she gets some Chinese takeout.

What is her life, she shakes her head with a laugh.

The food is warm against her body, and the smell is making her stomach growl. She picks up the pace to get back to the apartment. With haste she unlocks her door and inside quickly, eager to dig in to her supper.

She almost drops the bag of food when she sees Frank. He’s standing completely naked in the middle of her living room.

A towel is around his feet, he’s got his boxers in his hand - about to put them on. He’d accidentally left his duffel in the middle of her living room instead of taking it with him to the bathroom.

Karen’s eyes widen. A very naked Frank Castle is in her living room. That’s not something she was expecting. And judging by his eyes, he wasn’t either.

She looked, she didn’t mean to, but she did.

Flushing, because she looked, she averts her eyes to his face. Oh no that’s worse. His eyes are still huge with shock.

Suddenly the ceiling becomes very interesting and Frank picks up the towel to wrap around his waist.

He disappears in her bedroom, taking his duffel with him. She goes to the kitchen to set out the food. Her hunger for food is forgotten, something else is on her mind. She clears her throat, and her hands shake a little as she unpacks the boxes of food.

Frank takes a long time to get dressed, longer than normal. Karen feels guilty, and she assumes he does too. He embarrassed her, but it was a complete accident.

When he finally emerged from her bedroom, he looked awkward.

“Sorry about that,” Frank apologizes. He doesn’t want to embarrass her in any way. He already feels like he’s imposing on her and overstaying his welcome.

‘I’m not,’ Karen thinks to herself, but that’s not what she says.

“It’s ok Frank, really.”

Her cheeks have a light dusting of pink. It doesn’t go unnoticed by Frank, but he doesn’t say anything more on the subject.

They sit down to eat at the table, and Karen feels so flustered still. Her thoughts about him are amplified. The desire she feels for him is tugging at her. She tries really hard to focus on the rice instead of the man across the table from her. Thank goodness for wine, she thinks and takes a large drink.

Frank sees that too, and he chuckles a little. He’s slightly amused. There’s been no harm done, and he still has his pride after all. He can see it, she’s thinking about him. He hides it from her though, he doesn’t want to further embarrass her.

They make light chit chat, and Frank humors her. He can tell she’s avoiding the elephant in the room.

When they’re finished, Karen cracks open her fortune cookie. Frank reads his quickly and pops the cookie into his mouth.

“What’s it say?” Frank asks, his mouth still full of cookie.

Karen looks at it, and looks up and him and begins to talk really fast.

“I’m sorry I looked ok? I shouldn’t have Frank.”

“That’s what your fortune says? That’s oddly specific,” he teases, eating the other half of the cookie.

“Frank!” she laughs, “let me say I’m sorry!”

“Are you though?”

That was bold, Karen thought. She is sorry though, but it just happened. She’s still not sure how comfortable Frank is with that kind of thing.

Her mouth hung open, unsure of how to answer. A tiny smile formed on his lips, he’s messing with her. Karen assumes to help ease the awkwardness.

Frank left pretty late, and Karen was almost relieved when he was gone.

Did it make her a bad person if she thought about what she saw today?

Probably.

But when they’ve been tiptoeing around….something and she saw him?? Naked??

‘It’s just the human body, Karen,’ she tells herself when she climbs into bed.

A human body she wants to touch and know what it feels like on top of her.

The image is seared into her head. She’s never even seen his thighs before. His calf had been cut once, but his pants were already ripped so he didn’t have to remove them. That’s the extent of his lower torso she’s seen.

Now she’s seen it all.

How is she supposed to carry on with this in her head?

One thing she knows for sure, seeing him only confirmed the desire she has for him. They’ve been through enough, and they have a bond. She’s drawn to him emotionally it’s only natural she’s drawn to him physically.

And she’s not an idiot.

She didn’t need to see him naked to know he has a good physique. She’s dated men of all types, and she’s not always going to drool over washboard abs. Love isn’t just physical. But there’s no denying he has a great body.

Love? Did she really just think about love?

‘Relax Karen, you saw his dick, you’re not getting married.’

She laughs wondering what Foggy would think about this situation. If she ever tells Foggy about Frank, this story would be a funny one to tell.

Karen still feels guilty about dwelling on him and objectifying him like this. But she can’t deny her attraction and feelings.

 

xxx

 

In the following weeks after Karen saw Frank naked, precautions were made. They were extra careful about coming and going, and closing doors. Privacy was respected, but Karen almost wishes they didn’t have to worry about it. She wanted to feel comfortable around him. Not necessarily to parade around naked, but enough to talk about why he comes over more and more. He stays later and later. And she doesn’t want him to leave.

They’re practically dating, but nothing physical has happened yet.

They keep a low profile, but they even go out and eat together. Not fancy dates, but more just diners and smaller restaurants. They spend time together outside of her sewing him up at 3 am.

She just hasn’t said anything, because she doesn’t know if Frank wants her the way she wants him.

But she couldn’t be more wrong.

Frank thought about what happened for weeks. Not out of pride, or shyness even. He couldn’t help but think about how the last woman to see him naked was Maria.

Karen’s seen Frank exposed emotionally and now physically. Though neither of them have been romantic. Frank can’t help but wonder if they should be. He’ll always love Maria, that’s never changing. He hopes he has room in his heart for Karen. He’s cares for her deeply, maybe he already has made room for her and he is just now realizing it.

One morning he wakes up earlier than normal. He can’t sleep and he needs to talk to Karen before she goes to work. He’s gotta tell her.

He has no clue what he’s even gonna say, but the walk to Karen’s is long. It’ll give him time to think. Especially if he stops for some coffee and maybe a couple donuts.

Hands deep in his pockets, he turns his jacket up against the chill of the air. Goosebumps rise on his exposed skin. What is he gonna say??

He reaches her place, with a drink carrier in one hand, and a box donuts in the other. He smiles seeing some roses up in her window sill. He’d gotten her some pink ones last week.

Frank walks up the stairs with their breakfast holding it with steady hands. His hands are steady but his heart is beating a little fast. It pounds heavier the closer he gets.

He sets the drink carrier holding their coffees on top of the box of donuts to reach for her spare key above the door frame. He hopes she’s still asleep so he can wake her with breakfast. She has a secret love for these donuts. She’s tried to hide it but he knows she likes ‘em.

Frank takes one step into her place, still no clue what he’s going to say, but now he really doesn’t know.

Karen’s in her bedroom, she just pulled on some panties. Her door is slightly ajar, so Frank didn’t see her entire body, but he saw enough. He’s quiet and steps out of sight into her kitchen, hoping she didn’t see him.

He feels blood rush to his face. He feels like a 15 year old boy again.

After Maria died, he felt numb. Sexual desire was something he never considered. He had to deny himself the pleasures of his wife anyway when he was on tour overseas. He’s used to not having sex with a woman.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t want it. He just hasn’t thought about it in a long time. Sex for him has been off the table. He never thought it’d be an option again.

He doesn’t need to be thinking about this. He hopes she didn’t see him, he wouldn’t want to embarrass her. Maybe he should stop coming over spur of the moment like this.

“Hey Frank!” Karen calls to him. He almost jumps, her voice startles him, he was so lost in thought.

He slowly turns to see her dressed in a robe. He can’t help but sigh with relief. Not like she’d come out naked, but he’s glad regardless.

“You ok?” she places a hand on his jacket covered shoulder. Her hand burns him through it.

“Brought ya some breakfast. From that place you like downtown.”

Greedily, she takes the box from him. She thanks him with a mouthful of donut. He relaxes seeing her smile.

She looks so beautiful to him. She seems to glide around her apartment to sit down on the couch. She’s got a smudge of chocolate icing from the donut on her cheek. No makeup on her face, her hair is messy from sleep. He wants to be a permanent part of her life, to see her like this forever. But does he deserve that?

He’s still not convinced he was ever good for his wife and children. Why is Karen going to be different?

“Frank quit brooding in the kitchen, come eat a donut. I saved you the one with sprinkles.”

He snorts, but goes to sit next to her on the couch to eat.

His entire body feels on fire sitting next to her, he’s been denying his feelings for too long. Everything in him is telling him he shouldn’t, but that other part of him wants to grab her and kiss her with everything he has.

He saw a tiny fraction of her body, and he wants to see the rest. But he doesn’t deserve it. His hands are stained with blood. He doesn’t want to stain her fair skin with his sins.

So, he doesn’t say anything. He didn’t know what he was going to say anyway. Instead he just sits on the couch with her in the early morning light eating a donut covered with sprinkles. He doesn’t even like sprinkles but he wanted to make her laugh.

 

xxxx

 

How do you tell someone you love them when words just won’t do?

It’s the question on both Karen and Frank’s minds.

Seeing each other naked wasn’t what made them realize their love for one another. It opened up the possibility of the relationship being physical. The only step they haven’t taken.

Karen wants to take that step, but she’s still unsure if Frank wants it. Why is it so hard to just ask? It’s something so deep and personal, but haven’t they already seen the other one in such vulnerable moments?

After months of wondering what to do, Karen asks Frank over. She’s never actually asked him to come. Not like this anyway. He’s either just shown up, or there’s been a reason. Maybe she had information, or maybe he needed help.

She’s nervous waiting for him to arrive. She’s not really sure what she’s going to do. Maybe she should’ve planned better because when he knocks on the door, she feels her chest tighten.

Karen wonders why he knocked, but whatever the reason it makes her smile.

Eagerly, she walks to answer the door and she gasps when she opens it.

Frank is completely covered in mud. It’s in his hair, on his face, and all over his clothes.

She claps a hand over her mouth and giggles out loud.

“What happened?” she laughs in shock. She holds the door open for him to step inside.

“Some asshole sped by me, splashed me with mud. Think he did it on purpose too.”

“Why didn’t you go home and change?”

“Didn’t wanna be late. Didn’t want you thinkin’ I wasn’t comin’.”

Frank stood still for a moment, he was curious to know what she’d asked him over for. But he didn’t want to stand in her kitchen getting mud everywhere.

He opened his mouth to ask, and she answered for him.

“Go shower Frank,” she smiles. “You know where everything is.”

He nods, and turns towards the bathroom. He stops, and turns back to look at Karen.

“Care to join me?” he almost whispers out, but Karen heard it.

Trying to calm her heart, and not sound too eager, she collects her breath.

“Lead the way,” she says with a slight smirk.

Is this really how it’s starting?

Karen follows him to the bathroom and she’s trembling with excitement and nerves. Her knees shake a little under her with each step.

Both of them are standing now in her tiny bathroom. It seems really small with him in it. His presence is hard to ignore.

They both are fully clothed still, and are just looking at each other. Like they’re waiting for the other to make the first move. Karen lets out a breath, and touches Frank’s muddy face.

She gets a washcloth off the counter and wets it in the sink. She cleans off his face, he looks at her silently as she does. It’s a familiar act for both of them. But something about his eyes are different. Karen feels his gaze on her, and she feels arousal growing.

Slowly, she cleans off his lips last. Once his face is mud free, she leans in to press a kiss to his lips. Her body molds against his, she doesn’t care she’s getting muddy. That’s what the shower is for right?

His hand slips into her hair, and his tongue into her mouth. When they pull away, they look at each other. Both unsure of what to say.

“You know I know you saw me that morning you brought me donuts,” Karen smiles.

Frank’s a bit surprised.

“I didn’t say anything, because I didn’t mind. In fact I wanted you to,” she blushes. She bites her lip, and her big blue eyes look at his stunned face.

“I didn’t see much,” he trails off.

“Wanna see the rest?”

Frank smirks. He leans down to turn on the water, and sheds his muddy jacket. He strips down to his jeans, and helps Karen pull off her clothes. She unbuckles his belt, he unclasps her bra. Underwear is on the floor, shoes are in a heap.

Frank steps under the spray first, and holds out a hand to Karen.

She steps inside and grabs her loofah. She lathers up soap on it, and begins to wash Frank. His arms and chest where the mud seeped in, are the only part of him dirty now. She rubs mud off his arms, and she can feel his eyes admiring her body. After she washes his body, she rinses mud from his hair. There’s not much. The second he’s clean, he pulls her to him, and they continue kissing. His hand finds her bare ass, and his other is on her back. Karen’s body is pressed against him, and she shivers feeling that hard body against hers.

His hands move, one hand on her chest, the other slips between her legs. She gasps and braces her hands on his shoulders. He just teases, then he picks her up. He presses her against the wall of the shower and finds a rhythm.

She clutches his back and bites his shoulder. His groans in her ear is the most wonderful sound she’s heard from him. So often she hears groans of pain, but not pleasure.

Her legs are wrapped tight around his back. And when he sets her back down, her knees can barely keep her balanced.

Flushed, she looks up at him.

“I worried you didn’t think of me the way I did,” Karen admitted.

“Nah, I just didn’t want to admit I was ready,” Frank replies. “So what’d you ask me over for?” Frank asks grabbing the shampoo to wash her hair.

“If you wanted to stay over for the night,” Karen smiles. She sighs when he feels his hands in her hair.

“Well I guess you got your answer,” he presses a kiss to her shoulder with a smile


End file.
